Of model railroad switches



June 21, 1949. PEABODY 2,473,661

DOUBLE-ACTING SOLENOID FOR CONTROL OF MODEL RAILROAD SWITCHES FiledMarch 23, 1948 .gig 2 9 i 27 2ei9 Patented June 21, 1949 SI PATENTOFFICE].

2,473,661" naneiineAemlNdsoLENomFomeoNTReL: I ()FMODEL-BAILROADZSWITCHES a now-na n Peat-mama; cr'esi;inaassigngri qjTheiPioneereCompany, Chicagoglllz"; amartner Applicaticn March'23,1948;}seiiaLNoulaficf, V.

4 Claims? (01. 175 337 This .inventionvrelates to aswitching: device forrailroads and particularly to an: electro+responsive switching mechanismfor regulating the position of. switch tracksxof :amodkrailroad;

In the. io-peration ,of. model trailroads;.a certain 5reezzoii-de1inacy=rand (cane;mustzbeexercised; otherwise therelatiyelyzlighnand insecured parts will be put out of adjustrnenThismreQaution-a ary measure pertains; especial-1y "to-L the ;ch,ain .oftracks and; to jthecswitch; tracks-mom which, the trainssoperatewWhemthe operatorrisiortunatea enou h 'to detec-tpa trackxsectionon;switchitrack which .is, outof adfii stment it is necessary to stopthe k operations ofqithei train until; the :break can-- bet-repairedonthetracks realigned; In-theievent that, the misalignmentis notimmediately detected. and readjusted, the train may be=.thr 0wn'- from;the tnaclg in which instance; the tracks, the train, or nearbyobjects-.-might the -injured on damaged' beyonds-repain These =sameconsiderations, pertain to the operation of 1argerag .edel ytrains;oreven to fullh-scale's-passengep orfreighttrainsoperati-ngtoverrstandaizdigaugetracks;

To employ-elements which*deliberateiyasubjecta thetracksandiswitchl-parts to distunbingreactionszx and. impact,.undulycomplicatestheaoperationroi the train and; creates; an everepresent,hazard; Thus switching; operations comprise. any, even-.1presentqlproblem because'--during; switching ;;the tracks aresubjectedsto; sidewise thrusts which: might disturb traekalienment;FODBXanIPlG, an; element heretoforenemployed ;forautomatically efiecting SW-itch! operations comprises :anelecti e? responsivesolen0id;,having-.a shi-ftablecore mems her. a connected fox-.11adjusting -the switch :.tracks;; When; the-solenoid system; operatesendirect :cur- Yen-t; the500F8 i$13115d1it0 slam: intoi the xlesiredposition of adjxll im nt an ct-yobviouslyl disturbs the =alignment 10f.theatrecks; When the solenoid yst m: r operates 1on3, alternating;current, a: pro- 40 nounced; chatteringreitect:isebserved during themQVemeh-t-ioiithe core:.- In either instance, a the operatedcpartsfithatsis 'thezs'witch tracksandthe asseciatedtiack sections; areishif ted inanything but a delicate manner and require -i'ea'dj'ustment and-repair,and;dama-ge often resul-ts ItjzisP-an object"of this inventio o'pi-ovideea switch devicewfor railrbadsywhicki smootlrfjginoperation-and which enemas the desired trackadjustment:in-an-efllcientmannen 2ft. Anothenjobject "isf to,p ro\ ide1a,,switch device operated by elct e a esl nnsi e me ns. mounted a nside oi the tracks jot t e rnad a dpqn:

nected to thees'witchiitnacks throuehfa oupun'a which allows a c'eitai'naniountjofplay in the con:

nectedparts.

Aiurth r object, i 9 i' ncv id a rams track'- switching 'mechanishaving-an electi o esppn siye iactu'ato'i which, is ade; tedlito efie'ct:the. de-,

s edi -t ackii; spl, ment' 1n. a. smooth manner 11... Qrm ehethei'citjisenereizeduby direct or an rnatin urgent.

Thes n th niobiec roadgftrackj m'hbdyin-egth "switch mechanism of.-

thisimrentionlfi" M J Figu e *2 is an enlarged sectional. View taken subantially; along the" line 2-2 gof .Fig. .1

Figure 3 is .a sectional viewltaken along; the line 3:3 be Fig; 2;

Figure ""4 *is a pe 'spectiye iiew oi the sleeve on whicnth'e, solenoidsarewoundandjotthelclamp,

member to-be-used'with the sleeve; and;

Figure 51s a perspectiv'e jviewffoflthegcore and,

its-flexible .coupling part;

As shownjfin thefdrawin a' .switch sectibnhofl tracks "is usedjoridirectingflthe, moizementnfi the. train from' amain'; tna'ckril'flThe onetor. -'rnone of the.

othe r separating tracks lgl i 'jaJndJ The. tracks IE to the tie rods; lSHOE/111181 on, asroad beds I 1.

Thejswitching, track comm-ismthe u sual. pan; Jofz spaced iailsfla and!Qeonnectedat one end by ties 1" 0 andniounledat,theothenendc-thecorresmnda ing'innenfiails. oi the sepanating tracks-1 I and l 2.

train; are e separatedt ack sections, A

The Switch; tracks may be fmanually shiited to v nd fi z nta esfoi theinvention 4, will" be j more, Ifeadilyfl appanent" from the followingdesc tipti'on whenjeadllneconnection,

effect switching movements, but, normally, shifting is eifected by meansof a cross-arm 2| disposed beneath the tie rod 2|) and extendinglatcrally beyond the road bed H. A rigid connection may be establishedbetween the cross arm 2| and the tie rod 20 connecting the rails, but Ihave found that greater flexibility is secured when the cross arm 2| isswiveled to the tie rod 20, as by the pivotal riveted connection 22.Openings 23 are provided at opposite ends of the cross arm 2| forconnection with suitable switch operating means.

My improved switch operating means comprises a pair of solenoids 24 and25 arranged in side by side spaced relation on an elongate sleeve 26.Transversely shiitable between two positions of adjustment within thesleeve is a core 27 of cylindrical shape or other symmetrical contourcorresponding to the contour of the sleeve 26 to enable axial slidingmovement. The solenoids are separately energized through leads 28 and29, and when so energized, the core is caused to shift to one or theother of its positions of adjustment.

As previously pointed out, movement of the core tends to be very rapidwhen direct current is used to energize the solenoid, and it tends tochatter during the movement when alternating current is used. In orderto eliminate such undesirable tendencies, I have provided a member whichfrictionally engages the core whereby its movement from one position tothe other may be adjusted to the desired speed and is rendered in asmooth and uniform manner. In other words, the alternating high speedsand low speeds heretofore obtained by alternating current operation areneutralized to provide smooth and substantially uniform movement.Similarly, the impulsive speed of the core is thereby greatly reducedwhen direct current is used. For securing these beneficial operationalvided a clamp member which is shown in the form of an elongate U-shapedstrip 30 which fits about the sleeve in the region between the solenoids24 and 25. A portion of the strip 30, which may be out of round asindicated in Fig. 3, extends through a slot 3| in the sleeve to engagethe side wall of the contained core 21. To adjust the degree offrictional force by which the clamp member engages the core, the freeends of the clamp,

ordinarily in spaced relation, are provided with ioops 32 which receiveconnecting screw and nut means 33 to adjust their spaced relation. Itwill be evident that by seating in the slot 3|, the clamping member willbe held stationary. A

housing 38 through which the sleeve extends may L be provided for thesolenoids, by which means the switch mechanism may be anchored, ifdesired, to the fioor.

As the screw 33 is tightened, the clamp 30 is flexed and thereby gripscore 21 more tightly. This flexure causes the clamp 30 to act as aresilient clamping member or a spring means.

Another feature of this invention resides in the coupling which providesan operative connection between the cross-arm 2| and the core 27. Thecoupling is a flexible coupling and transmits the movement of the coreto the tie rod 2| even though the two elements may be disposed inangular relation one with the other. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, areduced end portion 34 of the core 21 is provided with screw threads 34athreadably to receive a coiled end portion 35 of a resilient wire 35having a hook 31 on the'other end insertable through one of the openings23 on the end of the cross-arm 2|. It will be evident that the coiledresults, there is pro- J portion 35 and the wire itself impartflexibility to the connection while the hook merely pivotally engagesthe arm.

From the description, it will be apparent that I have produced a new andimproved switch operating mechanism for railroad tracks employingelectro-responsive means for shifting the switch tracks in such mannerthat sudden movements or impacts heretofore secured from such solenoidoperations are efifectively eliminated. Thus, the switch mechanism maybe operated from direct or alternating current without the fear ofupsetting track alignment or complicating switching operations. By theuse of a flexible coupling between the actuating mechanism and thetracks themselves, it is possible to situate the actuating mechanismangularly with respect to the tracks or to effect the desired switchingoperations notwithstanding the fact that the cross-arm or switchmechanism may not be exactly in transverse alignment.

The essentials of the structure can also be used in other devices, suchas a magnetic circuit breaker, and similar devices Where a solenoid isused and it is desired to brake the movement of the solenoid armatureand prevent chatter and bounce.

It will. be understood that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction, arrangement, and operation may be eifected withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, especially as defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch, comprising a sleevehaving an aperture extending partially about its periphery, a pair ofsolenoids surrounding said sleeve, one on each side of said aperture, amagnetic core of smooth surface configuration in said sleeve and axiallyshiftable in response to energization of one or the other of saidsolenoids, a U-shaped braking member extending about said sleeve andthrough said aperture into engagement with said core, and means operableto pinch together the free ends of said braking member.

2. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch comprising a sleevehaving an aperture extending partially about its periphery, a solenoidsurrounding said sleeve, a magnetic core of smooth surface configurationin said sleeve and axially shiftable in response to energization of saidsolenoid, a U-shaped braking member extending through said aperture intoengagement with said core, and means operable to pinch together the freeends of said braking member.

3. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch, comprising a sleevehaving an aperture extending partially about its periphery, a pair ofsolenoids surrounding said sleeve, one on each side of said aperture, amagnetic core of smooth surface configuration in said sleeve and axiallyshiftable in response to energization of one or the other of saidsolenoids, a U-shaped braking member extending about said sleeve andthrough said aperture into engagement with said core, and meansadjustably operable to pinch together the free ends of said brakingmember to adjust the degree of frictional pressure of the braking memberagainst the core.

4. A mechanism for actuating a railroad switch comprising a sleevehaving an aperture exteding partially about its periphery, a solenoidsurrounding said sleeve, a magnetic core of smooth surface configurationin said sleeve and axially shiftable in response to energization 5 6 ofsaid solenoid, a U-shaped braking member UNITED STATES PATENTS extendingthrough said aperture into engage- Number Name Date ment with said core,and adjustable means oper- Re 21 488 Haupt June 25 1940 able to pinchtogether the free ends of said '6 July 1911 braking member to adjust thedegree of frictional 5 1 123288 Henmund Jan 5 1915 pressure of thebraking member against the core. 1494938 Abbott 192.4 HOWARD B. PEABODY.1,883,089 Tafel Oct. 18, 1932 2,237,376 Strong Apr. 8, 1941 REFERENCESCITED 10 2,239,312 Berges Apr; 22, 1941 The following referen ces are ofrecord in the ,4 6,85 Seibe1 Aug. 10, 1948 file of this patent:

